Madeiran Feast: 'We are all family'

Friday

“When you become a member of this club — and there are over 400 members — your family tree becomes a forest,” says 2018 Feast Committee President Arthur Agrella

The bond that ties the members of Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento could be described as loyalty, family and the love of Madeira.

Under their leadership, the annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament has evolved into an ethnic extravaganza, celebrating language, heritage and culture every first weekend of August at the Madeira Field in New Bedford.

This year, the 104th feast committee elected Arthur Agrella as its president. His cousin Louis Teixeira serves as vice-president.

“In 2012, I was elected president of the feast and my cousin Arthur Agrella was the vice-president. So we just switched roles this year,” joked Teixeira, adding that Manuel Coutinho, one of the feast founding fathers, was his grandfather.

The first festa was celebrated in 1915, organized by four Madeiran immigrants: Manuel Agrela, Manuel Agrela Coutinho, Manuel Santana Duarte and Manuel Sebastiao (aka Santinho). The traditional gathering of family and friends evolved into one of “the largest Portuguese feast in the world,” drawing thousands of visitors to New Bedford every summer. The 2018 feast president is also a descendent of the founding fathers.

“I am the great-nephew of another of the founding fathers — Manuel Agrella, my grandfather’s brother,” said Agrella, who traces his roots to Estreito da Calheta, Madeira.

The Agrella clan will have a heavy presence during this year’s celebration, as about two dozen members of the family residing out of state will be making their way to the feast.

“Nine of them are my first cousins from California that have never served before, and they are all coming in for the feast,” said Agrella with excitement. “So, it’s not only our feast, it’s a family gathering.”

Some will be meeting each other for the first time, Agrella noted.

“Manuel Agrella’s niece, my tia Georgie Lord, she’s coming in, and she’s 80 something,” quickened Teixeira about the family statistics. “All together, it’s about 25-26 flying in for the feast and there are going to be cousins we have never met before.”

Meanwhile, the Agrella and his committee are busy preparing the Madeira Feast for the celebration, and renovations continue at a fast pace at the feast grounds.

“I first came on the field when I was about 4 or 5 years old and my father was in the 50’s,” shared Agrella recalling his childhood. “My grandfather served in 1942 before he relocated to California, and my father was a member from his early days… and I was always palling around with my father who actually delivered ice here… and I have been here since that time.”

Agrella said he was “thrown” on the feast committee at age 19. That was 43 years ago.

“I’ve been vice-president twice and this year they elected me president, which I am very proud to be,” he said.

Another Agrella who is now “in training” is Hayden Deschenes, 16. He spends Saturday mornings at the feast grounds helping wherever he can lend a hand.

“I am the grandson of Arthur Agrella… I have been coming since I was little — it’s family,” said Deschenes.

Every year the feast committee prides itself in presenting something new and innovative.

“[This year] we revamped the south gate and we put up a new malassadas stand,” said Agrella. “There are also renovations in the ladies room in the picnic area. We have built a new bar — it’s going to be something to see.”

The new bar will serve imported and draft beers. It was trucked in from Brockton, where it was built by a club member.

“So that is going to be our ‘special place’ for the feast — like a beer hall type of thing,” Teixeira said.

The committee has also put a lot of effort trying to find ways to bring entertainment that will please every sector of the crowd.

“We are going to have Portuguese entertainment all four days of this year’s feast,” shared Teixeira, addressing comments made after last year’s event to incorporate more Portuguese entertainment.

“So, we definitely corrected that,” Agrella added. “Our entertainment committee has done a bang-up job — they have entertainment for all ages, all types of music, especially Portuguese on Stage 1 and Stage 2 all four nights.”

The entertainment will be provided by Queensrÿche, a band with over 20 million albums sold worldwide. The band received worldwide acclaim after their 1988 album release, Operation: Mindcrime, often considered one of the greatest heavy metal concept albums of all time.

The popular Wild Nites playing from Oldies to 70's funk and disco will have the crowd dancing all night.

The popular Eratoxica will return with an impressive resume of accomplishments. This Portuguese American rock band literally rocks the “house” wherever they play.

The Ultimate Queen Celebration plays tribute to the voice of Freddie Mercury starring Marc Martel and most classic Queen hits like We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Somebody to Love, and Bohemian Rhapsody.

In addition, the following acts will add to the sights and sounds sure to please fans of all ages: Back In The Day; Business Time; CarSon; D’Alma; Grace Morrison; Judas Rising Judas Priest Tribute; Likk; No Way Out; Radio Honey; Real Deal; Shattered; Taylor Cormier Sings Sinatra; The Freeze Pops; Whiskey Affliction; Edge; Craig DeMello; Breanna Pacheco and Matt Silva.

The Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento Folklore Group will be performing onstage every evening around 8 p.m.

As in previous years, the museum will be another entertainment spot where you can savor Fado with Sonia Bettencourt, Ana Vinagre, Jeremias Macedo and Carlos Furtado, accompanied on the Portuguese guitar by Manuel Leite and on the classical guitar by Viriato Ferreira. Spectators can Madeira wine, Portuguese soda, espresso coffee or traditional sweets while they listen to fado. On Sunday, entertainment will be provided by Rebecca Correia and Jordan Paiva.

The planning of the feast actually takes one full year. On the last evening of the feast, the members interested in serving as festeiros in the next celebration step into the clubhouse and avail themselves to serve the following year.

From the proceeds of the feast, the club gives great contributions to the community in various ways. For example, their scholarship program is well on its way to the million-dollar mark and nearly the same figure has been donated to various local organizations and needy individuals.

“In 2012, we started a program where all the foster kids in New Bedford, said Teixeira, himself a foster parent back in 2012. “We give them vouchers so they can buy meals and the carnival is totally free for all of the foster kids and the foster families.”

The cousins’ love for the Madeiran tradition and their commitment to the cause cements the love of community and mankind.

“I have this saying ‘when you become a member of this club-and there are over 400 members — your family tree becomes a forest’,” concluded Agrella with a wide smile.

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